Cigar lighter, igniter, and the like



1952 M. QUERCIA ETAL CIGAR LIGHTER, IGNITER, AND THE LIKE 2 SHEETSSHEET1 Filed Dec. 29, 1947 Mn R CEL QUERCIHIXVENTOR'S AZ; G-FoRG-E S FJERD/NH1952 M. QUERCIA ETAL CIGAR LIGHTER, IGNITER, AND THE LIKE 2 SHEETSSHEET2 Filed Dec. 29, 1947 INVENTORS:

Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Marcel Quercia,Paris, and Georges Ferdinand,

N ogent, France a Application December 29, 1947, Serial No. 794,346 InFrance March 17, 1943 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patentexpires March 17, 1963 1 Claim.

The invention concerns improvements in or relating to cigar lighters,igniters, lamps, heaters and more generally any apparatus for kindling,lighting or heating, utilizing for their supply combustible liquids, theobject of these improvements being essentially to increase the durationof the combustible load of said apparatus.

It is known that the duration of the load depends on two closely relatedfactors, which are the type of supply to the wick, and the tightnessconditions of the apparatus, in particular when the latter is at rest.

The usual supply of the wick in cotton or in any other filling is notrational, even under the most favorable conditions i. e. with a goodquality filler and a wick very adequately located in said filler, sincethe combustible fluid cannot be entirely exhausted and the regionsremote from the wick do not supply it. Besides, the end of the wick isnot always sufficiently humidified, so that sparks are frequently lostor wasted before the kindling. Further, the amount of liquid absorbed bythe cotton is relatively small and does not correspond atall to thecapacity of the container enclosing this cotton.

On the other hand, a good supply for the wick, i. e. the increase in themass of liquid absorbed by the wick obtains its full value, only if theproblem of the tightness has been solved previously. But, apart from theleakages occurring at the filling plug, of the screwed type or other, ordue to a lack of tightness of the containers, leakages which, however,can easily be eliminated, it is mainly the end of the wick which givesoccasion to the major part of the losses. For instance, in the case of acigar lighter, the latter behaves, in the smokers pocket, as an actualsmall still, constantly giving out combustible vapors. Whether the cigarlighter is in operation or remains in the pocket, the duration of theload is substantially the same. In some cases, in summer, for instance,the loss by distillation may reach as much as ninety per cent (90%) ofthe load, an amount which is not used for lighting. The diificultyresides in the impossibility of hermetically closing the partcorresponding to the end of the wick in virtue of the very nature of thelatter and of the absence of rigidity of that end.

The improvements which are an object of the invention are meant toobviate these drawbacks.

To this efiect, these improvements consist first in ensuring the supplyof the wick by the comand bored with calibrated apertures c.

bustible liquid itself, by arranging said wick in a perforated sheathlocated inside a filling of porous material housed inside a casing, alsoperforated, surrounded by the combustible liquid. This arrangementensures a direct supply to the wick by the combustible liquid by meansof a double capillary expansion, on .one hand, of the liquid to theporous material, and, on the other hand, from the latter to the wick, anadequate adjustment of the apertures provided in the sheath of the wickand in the container for the porous' material regulating the rate ofsupply and avoiding any influx of excess liquid to the end of the wickafter lighting or at rest. This improved arrangement also makes itpossible to use up completely the capacity of the container.

Another object of the present improvements is to ensure the tightness ofthe apparatus when at rest. To this effect, they consist, further, inhousing the wick together with its sheath, inside a suitably providedhousing which is hermetically closed by a valve or other suitableclosing device whenever the apparatus, cigar lighter or other, is not inoperation.

The whole of these improvements ensure a very substantial increase inthe duration of the load in cigar lighters, igniters, lamps, heaters orother apparatus utilizing wicks supplied with a combustible liquid.

The appended drawings show, by way of example, the improved device whichis an object of the invention, in its particular application to a cigarlighter.

Figure 1 of these drawings shows, schematically, the principle of thearrangement of the system.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the device.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing, in vertical section and in plan theupper end of the sheath surrounding the wick.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the device,showing a type of embodiment of the closure system.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the whole de- V168.

As may be seen from the principle of arrangement of Figure l, the devicecomprises a sheath a, of metal for instance, surrounding the wick b Thissheath is in direct contact with the filling of porous material d,separated itself from the combustible liquid e by a wall I suitablyprovided with one or more supply apertures i.

It will be understood that the supply by the mass of the combustiblefluid is thus direct, by a double expansion, on one hand, of thecombustible liquid 6 to the porous material d and, on the other hand,from the latter to the wick b. The calibration of apertures c of sheatha and of apertures '12 of wall f will regulate the output.

In the type of embodiment of Figure 2, the porous material d, felt, forinstance, wherein penetrates the perforated metal sheath a surroundingthe wick b, is itself surrounded by a "casing 7 forming a wick holder,in direct contact with the outside combustible liquid e. This wickholder, which, like the wick, can be very short, is pro-"- vided withone or more supply apertures i, suitably calibrated, and it is fixed,for instance by screwing or spinning, conveniently with theinterposition of a tight joint 9 on the wall h'of the containerenclosing the combustible liquid e.

The liquid will thus effect a first expansion in felt 11 whosehumidifica'tion is constant, then in a second expansion, the felt willsupply to the wick b the combustible liquid used by the latter. Bysuitably adjusting the sections of the apertures i of the wick holdercasing J and that of the apertures c of the sheath a containing thewick, a regular supply will be obtained for the wick and any influx orexcess liquid will be avoided.

It will be noticed that the system avoids any danger when the apparatusis being used, since the mas of liquid is in communication with thesupply system only through one or several very small apertures.

The felt d surrounding sheath a could be surrounded itself by a secondzone of porous material (felt-like or not) or any other capillary systemin contact with the liquid.

'On Figure 4, showing the upper part of the device, it will be seen thatthe sheath a, together with the wick 1) contained therein, is mountedslidingly in the upper part of easing The latter also comprises an upperrecess which can be closed by a ball :1 or part of a ball, suitablypressed by a spring (not shown) carried, for example, by the lid of theapparatus. In order to ensure a better tightness, the pressure contactof the ball will preferably be a circular linear contact, as shown atWhen the cigar lighter is closed, the ball thus hermetically closes thehousing of the wick holder. Upon opening the lid of the lighter theball, by its rising, ceases its action on the sheath of the wick, whichcan then come back to its upper position.

It will be understood that the ball could be replaced with any othersuitable closing organ, such as a valve, a flap or the like, fitted ornot with plastic material.

In order to avoid a rapid damaging of the wick, the upper part a of themetal sheath a (see Figure 3) which, preferably, is removable and addedon to the body of said sheath, is suitably cut so as to ofier suitableclutches or extensions a on which rests the ball 9 or other closureorgan upon the closing of the lid, so as to protect the wick. Theseextensions, in an appropriate number, may have any appropriate shape orarrangement.

It will be understood that with the improved device which is an objectof the invention, the wick, well protected and always adequate1yhumidified due to its uniform supply, practically does not wear off.Thus, instead of a cotton wick, an asbestos wick or any other solidcapillary system can be used (silicates for instance).

In the type of embodiment of Figure 5, sheath a rests for instancethrough a thimble m, on a spring Z bearing against the bottom of casingf and which tends to push this sheath upwards.

The device providing both for the supply of the wick and the tightnessof the cigar lighter and as represented in Figure 5 forms a block whichcan be of very small dimensions and which may easily be mounted on anytype of cigar lighter comprising a fixed or interchangeable container.This assembly can thus be either on the body of the lighter itself, oron the container forming a part of the latter or on the lighter meantfor receiving an interchangeable load (bulb, tube, container, tank,canteen, etc.) or finally on the load itself. In the case of a cigarlighter meant for receiving a load, the device will be advantageouslycompleted by a system allowing the fixation of the load and the tightnesof the latter in accordance with known methods. In case the device isfixed on an interchangeable load, a special and temporary closing willbe provided onthe device itself for the period preceding its operation.

It must be noted that the supply device for the wick, shown on Figures 1and 2, which can be applied to all lighters, may remain fixed and doesnot necessarily require the device for the lowering of the wick in ahousing closed by a closure organ, such as shown on Figure 5; theimprovements which are an object of the present invention being capableof being used independently or in combination.

What We claim is In a lighter, in combination, a housing for containinga fuel, the said housing having a wall thereof formed with an openingtherein; a first receptacle having side walls and opposite end walls oneof which is formed with an opening extending therethrough, said firstreceptacle being located at least partially in said housing with saidside walls thereof connected to said wall of said housing and locatedabout said opening therein, the other end wall of said first receptaclebeing located in the interior of said housing, and at least one portionof said first receptacle located within said housing being formed withan opening passing therethrough so that the interior of said housingcommunicates with the interior of said first receptacle and with saidopening in said housing wall only through said opening in said oneportion of said receptacle; a second receptacle having opposite ends oneof which is closed and the other of which is open and having side wallsformed with at least one opening passing therethrough, said secondreceptacl'e being located in said first receptacle with the side wallsand closed end of said second receptacle located apart irom the sidewalls and other end wall of said first receptacle so as to provide aspace between said first and second receptacles, and a portion of theside walls of said second receptacle located adjacent to said open endthereof being located in said opening in .said one end wall of saidfirst receptacle; 2, wick located in said second receptacle; and aquantity of absorbent material located in and substantially filling saidspace between said first and second receptacles, whereby said wickreceives fuel only from said absorbent material.

MARCEL QUERCIA. GEORGES FERDINAND.

(References on following Epage) REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Austria Sept.11, 1922 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1919 Austria Nov. 25, 1939 Germany July8, 1919 Germany Dec. 10, 1919 Germany Jan. 22, 1920 France July, 8, 1935France Apr. 12, 1937

